theodore roosevelt became the us' 26th president in 1901. he traveled to yellowstone and grand canyon and hoped to preserve them. teddy roosevelt's conservation legacy became one of america's most important. [ken salazar] it's important for the people of this country to connect to the landscapes of america. wilderness does that because it shows us the grandeur of our planet, and it's important to preserve that not only because it's important for economic engines, but it's also important for the way that it refuels the american spirit. [narrator] this heritage was defined by the creation of national parks. conservationist and writer wallace stegner called the national parks, "americas best idea". wallace stegner wrote the wilderness letter in 1960. [sandra day o'connor] wallace stegner at the end of his life was disillusioned with how the west had allowed development to overtake its natural beauties and its natural bounty in favor of development. [narrator] wallace stegner described a concept called "the geography of hope". he believed wilder